More Music (Operation Ivy)

Happy Friday and lets get fired up for the long weekend. Not for me but I know some of you are getting an extra day off. Today the band is the third wave almost fourth wave Ska/Punk, also known as ska-core, called Operation Ivy. They existed for only two years 1987 to 89 and had one studio album and were amazing. Anything that any of them did or will do in the future pales in comparison to what Operation Ivy laid down. I am talking directly to you Tim Armstrong. The rest of you just shut up and listen.

"Take Warning"



"Sound System"



"Bombshell"



"Healthy Body"



and one more bonus one by the DESCENDENTS mainly because I am feeling all punk rock!!

"Everything Sucks"



Okay two songs, "I don't Want To Grow Up"

More Music (No Doubt)

Good Thursday to everyone out there. Today the band is a band that I really enjoyed when they were at their heyday and I have heard that they are working on a new album. I am not sure if they will be going back to their ska roots or not with it. Some people have said that No Doubt and Gwen Stefani destroyed Ska. I do not think that is the case it isn't a bands fault if radio and the public latch on to a song or group and make it popular. The only band I think that would actively run away from such a thing is probably Fugazi and those guys are weird. So anyway lets give a listen to some early No Doubt and some of their more popular radio hits.

"Snakes" (Early, early stuff and not really much of a Ska sound at all.)



"Total Hate" (Early, early, early but this song has more of a Ska punk sound to it.)



"Just A Girl" (This song put them on the map. Now I could say that I am tired of it from listening to it so much. But that isn't the songs fault. It is a good pop Ska song and I totally can see why it made them famous.)



"Sunday Morning" (There are several very good songs on the Tragic Kingdom album. One interesting thing is that Gwen wrote most of this album while dealing with the breakup of her relationship with the band's bassist Tony Kanal. When this album broke big they toured all over the world playing breakup songs. I always felt kind of sorry for him.)((I also love Gwen's look in this video)



(End It On This)



"Hey Baby" (Their next album went a little more Reggae more Dancehall if you will. I liked it though)



"Rocksteady"

More Music (Nightwish)

Hello, one of the things that this project has done is made me realize how much of certain types of music that I have. Now I still feel that my taste in music is pretty eclectic but at the same time I have realized that I also have lots more of certain genres then others. One of those is heavy metal and within that genre I am heavily invested in the more epic power metal sub genre and this is one of those band and in some ways the best of those types of bands. They are Nightwish and they are from Finland.

"Over the Hills and Far Away" Their version of the Gary Moore classic.



"Wish I Had an Angel"



"Wishmaster" Live and Tarja's last performance with the band.

More Music (N's)

Hey everybody!! Well we are into the N's but I am just not feeling it today. So I am not sure what that means. I think I am going to give you one song from each of the first three artists in my N catagory. Natalie Imbruglia, Neil Diamond, and Neil Young. I only own one album from each of them and this just seems easier.

"Torn"



"Solitary Man"



"A Man Needs A Maid / Heat Of Gold" This is from a live performance in 1971 on the BBC. It blew me away. I had never seen it before.

More Music (My Chemical Romance)

Welcome to Monday everybody and today the band is My Chemical Romance. They are pretty emo and they remind me a little bit of Queen but that may just be the lead singers vocal stylings. I have only one of their albums called The Black Parade and it really feels like a concept album to me. It may sound funny to say but listening to them this morning has helped to clean the taste of the Grammys out of my mouth from last night. Though it was nice to see Adele win, the show itself was pretty lame and I am not convinced she needed or deserved to win album of the year. But anyway on the the vocal and rock operatic stylings of My Chemical Romance!!

"The End"



"The Sharpest Lives"



"Welcome To The Black Parade" This was the big hit off of this album and I really do like it. But, on a side note I am kind of a sucker for songs with marching band drums. I just can't help it.



"Mama"

More Music (Muse)

Today we get to take a quick look at the English prog rock band MUSE. Now, I enjoy their music. I think they are a little bit pretentious in real life and take themselves far to seriously. But then again who doesn't. I hope you enjoy the tunes and have an excellent Friday and an amazing weekend.

"Uprising" Probably their biggest hit to date.



"Starlight"



"Resistance"



"Knights Of Cydonia" I like this liver version a lot and I love how into it the crowd is.

More Music (Mumford & Sons)

I do not think that anything I write about this band is going to be a surprise to any of my regular readers. I have been posting their videos for awhile now and when I went to see them I posted some more live videos. But it is their turn on the list and here they are. Lets keep enjoying the music of Mumford & Sons. I hope you are looking forward to their next album as much as I am.

"The Enemy" (For Wuthering Heights)



"Roll Away Your Stone"



"White Blank Page"



"Home" They played this one in the concert. It was very good.



"Ghosts That We Knew" This is another new one and I think it will be the big hit off of the new album. You heard it here first folks!!

More Music (Moby)

In a refreshing palate cleanser from yesterdays band today we are listening to Techno artist Moby. I only have one album from 1999 and that is Play. Now I do not listen to a lot of Techo and most of the time this type of music, be it dubstep, or drum n' bass, or any of the other myriad of names that it goes under, gives me a headache but I like pretty much all the songs on this album. So I hope you enjoy it.

"Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad"



"Porcelain"



"Southside" ft. Gwen Stefani



"Bodyrock" There are some hot dancers in this video

More Music (Metallica)

There was a time in my life when I thought that this band was the best band in the world. They may have been. I do not know. I do know that they mattered intensely to me. Now they do not. Here is some songs. Yaay for Metallica











It saddens me because their first four albums were so good and then they met Bob Rock and it went downhill from there. Some would argue that the Black Album was the beginning of the end and others would argue that doing a double live album with the SanFrancisco Philharmonic was it. I think the whole mess with Napster also had something to do with it. I just know that I can barely listen to them anymore and their new stuff not at all.

More Music (Men At Work)

It is Monday and what better day then a Monday to highlight the great 980's band Men At Work. I have their first two albums Business as Usual and Cargo. I enjoy them both pretty regularly and in a little bit of Lance trivia the first album that I ever purchased was Cargo. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do and please feel free to comment and tell me that you liked the music or even if you didn't like it.

"Who Can It Be Now"



"People Just Love to Play With Words"



"Be Good Johnny"



Now, lets hear three from their second album.

"Dr. Heckyll and Mr. Jive"



"Overkill"



"It's A Mistake"

More Music (Meatloaf)

Ahhh today is a fun Friday. We are going to hear a few tracks from the classic 1977 album by Meatloaf called Bat Out of Hell. I hope you enjoy it and I hope that it brings a smile to your face like it does to mine. A little bit of trivia for you. The man who wrote and produced most of this album Jim Steinman also wrote the classic songs Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "Making Love Out of Nothing at All"

"you took the words right out of my mouth (Hot Summer Night)"



"Heaven Can Wait"



"Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad"



Now some of you maybe saying, "But Lance, what about "Paradise By The Dashboard Light"?" The short answer is that the video for that is super long and most people have heard that song by now. But by all means look it up if you feel so motivated to do so. It is a great tale of a teenage tryst in the front seat of a car. It truly is a classic song. But I think I would be remiss at this time if I didn't play for you two other songs that I mentioned earlier, they are both classics and personal favorites of mine.

First up is the Australian duo AIR SUPPLY with "Making Love Out of Nothing At All"



Bonnie Tyler "Total Eclipse of the Heart"

More Music (Manowar)

Well you folks are in for a real treat today. Some modern American metal the likes of which we are really only getting out of Europe these days. This band is called Manowar and they were formed in 1980 and came out of New York. It is hilariously epic and loves to sing about mythological subjects. I also love their album covers. Those are just plain amazing to look at. They are not big in America but like a lot of bands they are huge in Europe. I am going to do my best to choose carefully but some of these songs may have so swears. So do not say I didn't warn you.

"Return of the Warlord"



"The Fight For Freedom"




"Sons of Odin"




"The Gods Made Heavy Metal"

More Music (Madness)

That is the end of the letter L on the list and now we are on to M and today the artist of alphabetical order is the band Madness. I really enjoy their basically 2 Tone second wave ska sound and I challenge anyone who is having a bad day to listen to some Madness and not feel their spirits lift and their toes start to tap. I have basically a greatest hits compilation and I really enjoy it. I am really glad that they were on the list because it makes me feel like today is going to be a good day.

"Our House"



"Tomorrow's Just Another Day"



"It Must Be Love"



"Driving In My Car"

More Music (Lisa Loeb)

Happy, happy Tuesday. Today we get to hear a few songs from the one Lisa Loeb album that I have which is called Tails. This album is notable because it was the first that brought her nationwide fame and contained her first hit single the song "Stay" that was used by Ben Stiller in the Ethan Hawke and Winona Ryder film "Reality Bites". Big surprise, I know, to my regular readers, to find out that I like a female singer-songwriter who plays guitar.

"It's Over"



"Do You Sleep?"



"Stay"

More Music (Led Zeppelin)

It is Monday and lets get the Led out. I like Led Zeppelin. I go in streaks where I listen to them a lot and sometimes I go months without hearing a song but when I do either in a movie or on the radio or when a friend plays them. I immediately remember why I enjoy them. Now I could throw up probably 30 songs. But I think I am just going to do three videos and they most likely be live ones. I have their entire discography. But I think I am just going to pick some that mean something to me on a more personal level.

"Immigrant Song" I listened to this song so much in high school on my Walkman. Yes I am that old. I flat wore this tape out.



"Misty Mountain Hop"



"Good Times Bad Times" This song, from the opening guitar and the drum beats signified an amazing new band and it was awesome.



I am going to give you one more song from Led Zeppelin III. The main reason being that for me I think III was their best album. I have probably linked this song more then any other song to various things but I love the song. It is "Broy-Y-Aur Stomp" and this version from the Earl's Court concert in 1975 is amazing.

More Music (Lana Del Rey)

I first heard this lady sing on Saturday Night Live a week ago and it was absolutely horrible. But a friend whose taste in music I trust recommended I listen to the whole album. So I did and wow. I really, really liked it. There were times where it even had an emotional impact on me. So I do not know what happened on SNL but if you get a chance after listening to what I play for you track it down and listen to the rest of it. I liked a lot.

"Born To Die" This is the first song off of the album and the video is a little artsy for my taste but the song is amazing. If you have to just close your eyes and listen to it.



"Video Games"



"Lucky Ones"

More Music (Australian Day)

I listen either National Public Radio (NPR) or KNRK on the way to work each morning and since today is apparently National Australian Day. (Don't ask me why. I have no idea.) KNRK played 8 songs from Australian bands or artists and I liked that idea so I am stealing it. These are in no particular order but they are bands that I like who are from Australia. So please enjoy them.

1. Men At Work: "Overkill"



2. Midnight Oil: "Forgotten Years"



3. INXS: "Mediate"



4. Crowded House: "Don't Dream It's Over"



5. Olivia Newton-John: "Physical"



6: Jet: "Cold Hard Bitch"



7: AC/DC: "Thunderstruck"



8: GOTYE: "Somebody That I Used To Know"



There you go. I hope you guys enjoyed this little bonus musical excursion.

More Music (Lady Gaga)

I know that some of my readers can't stand her. But I actually enjoy her music. Not always and not everyday but there are times when I like to listen to dance music and she works for me. I also think that minus all of the sonic affects and visual craziness she has a really good voice and plays the piano very well. I am still not sure how much is stage craft and how much is her but that really doesn't matter. That being said. You are only getting a couple of videos and they will be live ones because her videos are already all over YouTube.

"Born This Way" (Live on SNL)



"Judas (Live on SNL)"



This is a parody of "Bad Romance" and I found it actually pretty amusing. It is by a group called The Key of Awesome! there is a little bit of profanity so put those ear buds in kids.

More Music (Who wants a Kiss)

We are back at it and on this Monday morning the band that is kick starting the day is Kiss. This is the last band in the K's on my list and I have their first 4 albums and even though I am sure that Gene Simmons would sell his mother for a quick buck I really enjoy the music on these four. Kiss, Dressed To Kill, Destroyer, Love Gun are all solid rock and roll albums and they have some really good guitar and bass work in them as well. Kiss was just a solid band and the excelled at writing radio friendly songs especially in terms of time of songs. So any here you go..."The baddest band in the land!! KISSS!!!

"Strutter"



"Black Diamond"



"Rock Bottom"



"Rock N Roll All Night"



"God of Thunder" One of my favorite Kiss songs



"Beth" There are 4 or 5 amazing songs from Destroyer it is probably my favorite Kiss album.



"Christine Sixteen" I might be wrong but I think this song is about sex. I am not sure though.



"Plaster Caster" This is from Kiss Unplugged which was on MTV and is actually really a good concert.



I guess I like this band more then I thought I did. I hope at least some of you enjoy the music.

STOP SOPA

No posts from me today. I primarily use Youtube to find the music that I share with you guys. If SOPA passes I most likely will not be able to continue to do that. SOPA will effectively kill the internet and kill free speech.

MLK Day

I am taking a break from the list today because it is Martin Luther King day. We will jump back into the list feet first tomorrow. So, you may be asking, what are we going to be listening to today then. I am not sure. I will have to see what strikes as fun and interesting. Maybe I will just hit random on the old music player and throw up the first three or four songs that we get. Lets do it.

"A New World" Dark Moor



"Sound and Vision" David Bowie



"Movin' Out" Billy Joel

More Music (King Diamond)

Today is Friday and lets close out the week with some awesome Danish heavy metal from King Diamond. In 2006, Hit Parader magazine voted him the 85th greatest heavy metal vocalist of all time. I think I would put him higher on the list. I realize that this kind of music is not for everyone but you get what you pay for folks. So enjoy the head banging.

"Abigail"



"Arrival"



"Melissa"



"Welcome Home"

More Music (Kimbra)

As we move further into the K category in my collection we come across Kimbra. She is an artist from New Zealand and is featured prominently on the song by Gotye "Somebody That I Used To Know". So you have heard her here before. I enjoy her first and so far only album VOWS quite a bit. It is a little bit reminiscent of Florence and the Machine but also has some of the torch style of the late Amy Winehouse. I hope you enjoy listening to some of the tracks.

"Settle Down"



"Cameo Lover"




"Good Intent"

More Music (Katy Perry)

WE are done with the J's and now we move into the K's with our first artist being Katy Perry. Now I realize that this is just straight up bubble gum pop and make pretty liberal use of the autotuner and that she seems to be more known for her figure then her music. But I actually enjoy and like another big busted pop singer, she started out in the contemporary Christian music industry and had to go secular to achieve any success. I find that fascinating and whatever she is doing it is working as far as record sales go. There are times when I just like the mindlessness of pop music and her music fits the bill perfectly for me.

I also like that she actually makes music videos. Because I enjoy music videos.

"Waking Up In Vegas"




"Hot N Cold"



"Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)



"Firework"

More Music (Judas Priest)

Well we have reached the last of J's in my collection and it is one of the most hardest rocking bands in the land Judas Priest. Now, everything that I have in my collection is with Rob Halford because as far as I am concerned without Halford the band did not exist.

"Breaking The Law"



"Turbo Lover"



"Green Manalishi" The interesting thing for me about this song is that it is a cover of a much older Fleetwood Mac song.



"Love Bites"



KEEP ON ROCKIN!!!

More Music (Johnny Cash)

I could write pages and pages about this man. I love his music and I also respected him as being an honest individual about his problems in life and his faith. As he got older I feel that he ended life well and was a real example of how to die honorably and with dignity. I hope you enjoy his music as I will be posting songs from all across the spectrum of his career.

"It Was Jesus"



"If You Could Read My Mind"



"Sunday Morning Coming Down"



"Personal Jesus"



"God's Gonna Cut You Down"



Thanks for the music, Mr Cash.

More Music (Journey)

So here we are and we are going even more out of order because I am saving Johnny Cash until Monday. I have to much of his music and I need to devote more time this weekend to putting together a proper post for him. So today you get to hear a little Journey. I think most of you will enjoy it. These all come off of a Greatest Hits album that was released in 1988.

"Any Way You Want It"



"Faithfully"



"Send Her My Love"

More Music (Jim Croce)

On we go and today we get the pleasure of listening to a little bit of Jim Croce. I have his greatest hits album Photographs & Memories: His Greatest Hits it came out in 1974 and I basically enjoy all of the songs on it. I do have to be in the right kind of mood to listen to it but there are times for sure when it hits the correct "note" with me.

"Operator"



"Time in a bottle"



"Roller Derby Queen"



"I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song"

More Music (Jill Sobule)

The train keeps rolling and we are on to a solo artist named Jill Sobule and the one album of hers that I own named "Jill Sobule". It came out in 1995 and she was part of that girl rocker movement from that era but she never really caught on a big as say Juliana Hatfield or Liz Phair but I do enjoy this album and I really should see if she has released anything else. The big hit off of this album thanks in part to the quirky music video and it's place in the MTV rotation back when MTV played videos is I Kissed a Girl. She did it long before Katy Perry did.

"I Kissed a Girl"



"Karen by Night"



"Supermodel"



"Hot in here (Nelly)" Covered by Jill Sobule. A little bonus for you that I found. (NSFW language)

More Music (Jethro Tull)

Hey everybody, we are back. The holidays are over and hopefully I can get us back on some kind of reasonable schedule. So here we go according to the crazy music player next on the list is Jethro Tull.

Now I own their first 4 albums and a greatest hits collection and there are times when I really enjoy just listening to it all. They are the kind of band that was not really radio friendly. Their songs went on a little long and often they were part of a greater cycle but people still like them and they put on a great live show. So lets give them a listen shall we.

"Some Day the Sun Won't Shine" from their 1st album This Was released in 1968. So bluesy. I like it a lot.



"A New Day Yesterday" from their 2nd album Stand Up this is a live clip from 1970. I really get a kick out of it.






Now I will hit you with a couple of their big hits.

"Bungle in the Jungle"



"Too Old to Rock 'N' Roll: Too Young to Die" This is a sad song but I like it so much. This is the extended version that is not usually played on the classic radio.

More Music (Iron Maiden)

Today is Friday and it is the eve of Christmas Eve and, according to my Google music player which seems to think that alphabetical means by the first name of the artist or group, I am supposed to play for you some Iron Maiden. I have 18 of this bands albums. I like them and I have been lucky enough to see them in concert a small handful of times. So lets get to it shall we. ON WITH THE METAL!!!

"Aces High"



"Run To The Hills"



Those are two of my absolute favorites from the early 80's. What about Iron Maiden in the 90's?

"Run Silent Run Deep"



"Fear of the Dark" (This one was amazing live)



Okay onto the 2000's and the band is still going strong.

"Out of the Silent Planet" (C.S. Lewis)




"The Pilgrim"



Finally on into 2010 and beyond!!!!

More Music (Iron & Wine)

I've written in length about this band/artist before Iron & Wine (Samuel Beam).

I am a fan of both his epic beard and his music. So I am going to throw up some of my favorites. I hope you enjoy them.

"The Devil Never Sleeps" (Live)



"Such Great Heights" (Live)



Now onto some studio work.

"Boy With A Coin"



"Walking Far From Home"

More Music (Insyderz)

Another of those Christian Ska bands from the mid to late 90's. Though the reason I still have this is because it was a gift for being in my best friends wedding. The Insyderz are pretty good but they are not as good as Five Iron Frenzy was. They may even be still together in some form or another. I really have no idea.

"Carnival"



"Trigger Happy"



"I Say"

More Music (Helloween)

This is a power metal band and while I do like them I am not sure why I only have one disc of a two disc set and nothing else of their discography. But I do enjoy their music and most not even ironically I just like it. But as I have said before I have a soft spot in my heart for this type of heavy metal. I will post a couple from this album and some of their older stuff that I like a little bit better.

"Power"



"Forever And One (Neverland)



"I Want Out" 1988



"Keeper Of The Seven Keys"

More Music (Harry Chapin)

Well good Monday to you all. We have finished with the G's and now we are on to the H's and the first artist in the H's is Harry Chapin and a live double album I have called The Bottom Line. If you get a chance give him a google he led an interesting life before he died to young. I enjoy his music.

"Taxi"



"W.O.L.D."



"Mr Tanner"



"Cats In The Cradle"

More Music (Gotye)

Up next on our trip through the G's is the Australian band Gotye with his third studio album Making Mirrors. The reason I say his is because Gotye is actually the work of a man named Wouter "Wally" De Backer who is Belgian-Australian. This album is the only work of his that I have heard and I really do like it.The album is under considered to be one of the top 10 Australian albums this year and I think it may be the best of the bunch. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

"Eyes Wide Open"




"Somebody That I Used To Know"




"State Of The Art"





There is just kind of an ambient nature to this music that makes it something that I can just kind of chill too. I really like it.

More Music (Goldfinger)

Well that was the end of the F's and now we are on to the G's and to start that off we have a band that I really enjoy. They are kind of part of the third wave Ska movement but I think of them as just more pop-punk then anything. I do enjoy them though. They are from Los Angles and they started in 1994. I have their 3rd album called Stomping Ground and so that is where my musical selections will be coming from. Though you get a bonus track or two. We shall see if I feel so inspired.


"Pick A Fight"



"Counting The Days"



"BRO" (This one has swears and may not be safe for work)



"99 Red Ballooons"



"Superman" All of my fellow Tony Hawk fans will remember this one.

More Music (Franz Ferdinand)

I like this band. Listen to their music.

"Jacqueline"



"Dark of the matinee"



"Take Me Out"

More Music (Florence And The Machine)

Happy Monday folks and what better music to get your heart pumping and your toes tapping then a little Florence and the Machine. She has two albums out and I love them both equally. I am unable to recommend them highly enough. So let's hear a couple from the first album which is called Lungs and then two from the second album which is called Ceremonials. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy bringing them to you.

"Dog Days Are Over"




"Kiss With A Fist" I love this song so much.




"Only if For A Night" (Live Version)



"What The Water Gave Me"



I had to post David Bowie after Florence.

More Music (Flogging Molly)

Sorry about the lack of a post yesterday folks. The Mumford & Sons concert kind of wiped me out and I just wasn't feeling the Celtic punk rock.

I first saw this band play live at the Gorge amphitheater during one of the first Warped tour shows. They were playing on one of the small stages at about 3 in the afternoon and they put on an amazing show. They are still going strong and if you get a chance to see them play live then do it. They are Flogging Molly. Why don't we give them a listen.

"The Devil's Dance Floor" This is from their first album.



"The Likes of You Again"



To hear more look them up. They are good. But I am not in the mood for their aggro today.

More Music (Flight of the Conchords)

I have a soft spot for novelty acts but I really like them if they are also pretty talented and Flight of the Conchords are very talented. I only hope that they get back together soon. But, until then here are a few of their tunes to get you by.

I always want to do something special for "The Ladies of the World"



This one has their manager singing but I really like it. But then again I like "Leggy Blondes"



I really, really like this song. I think mainly because I like things that go "Boom"



I am posting this one because I think of it as a tribute to Bowie. Even though they are nowhere near as good as Bowie was or is even now. Bowie Forever!!!

More Music (Fleetwood Mac)

I find Fleetwood Mac to be a interesting band. They were formed in 1967 and have never really stopped. The band has seen loads and loads of changes but Mick Fleetwood and John Mckvie have basically always been there. They begun as more of a blues based rock band.

This is their first #1 British Single "Albatross"




That song just blows my mind because its sound isn't at all like what was Rumors or their other later albums.

"Tell Me All The Things You Do" I really love the guitar in this one. I think Jack White may have listened to some early Fleetwood Mac



Now we will get into some of their late 1970's more popular stuff.

More Music (Fleet Foxes)

I have probably overposted this band in the last few months but there next on the list. They are from out of Seattle and one of the few things I can tolerate from that horrible city and state to the North.

"Meadowlarks"



"White Winter Hymnal"



"Mykonos"



"He Doesn't Know Why"

More Music (Five Iron Frenzy)

On and on the wheel turns and it only stops turning when the light of life stops shining in our eyes. I think I just made that last sentence up. But most likely I stole that from several fantasy books. It is hard to say. So anyway on too the next band in my collection. There was a time in the Christian world when Ska was king at least for the alternative Christian kids if there is such a thing. This was arguably the biggest of that particular Ska movement. Five Iron Frenzy and this is a greatest hits collection (I think) Upbeats & Downbeats. It is interesting for me to note that despite not listening to this band in years I still enjoy the ska of it and the horn work. But then again we all know how much Big Lance loves to Skank. I won't get into an argument here about what is better 1st, 2nd or 3rd wave ska but this band was basically 3rd wave. I myself like all types of Ska.

"Cool Enough For You"



"Beautiful America"




"Old West"

More Music (Five For Fighting)

I enjoy Five For Fighting and I like the album "America Town" which came out in 2000. It is a little mellow and sappy for some. But there are times where this type of music hits the spot for me. Lets give it a listen shall we.

"Easy Tonight"




"Superman"



"America Town"



See you folks tomorrow. Have a good day.

More Music (Fiona Apple)

Well that is the end of the E's folks. So lets jump right into the F's with a lady whose music I really enjoy. I only have one album and it is her first. That is Fiona Apple and Tidal which came out in 1996. If you enjoy the music today then go ahead and check out some of her other stuff as well.

"Sullen Girl"



"Shadowboxer"



"The Child Is Gone"





And one more surprise treat from a different album featuring Fiona and my favorite humorist right now Zach Galifianakis

More Music (Erasure)

I have one Erasure album and in it they cover several Abba songs and I love it. I have no regrets. I hope you enjoy the videos.

"Lay All Your Love on Me"



"S. O. S."



"Take A Chance On Me"



I hope you enjoyed the dance music.

Thanksgiving

No music today. You folks have a great Thanksgiving. If you don't celebrate it. Well just have a great day.

More Music (Emily Osment)

Now today's artist may surprise a few of you. But those of you who know me will also know that I like a bit of good old fashioned pop music now and then. They will also know that I am partial to music sung by attractive ladies. So that being said I bring you an album by Emily Osment called Lovesick. Now I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. She really does a good job with this type of music and it will be interesting to see if she ever gets as popular as Katie Perry and Britney Spears.

"Lovesick" This song and video obviously owes a lot to Lady Gaga but that is okay. It works for me I think the chorus and the hook is really catchy.



"Let's Be Friends" This one is pretty much the same kind of song as the last one and pretty typical of this style of pop music. Weightless and Fun.



"Marisol" This one is a little bit different then the first two and highlights her voice more without so much of the autotune to support thing.



Now, I do not listen to bubblegum pop very much but sometimes it is the perfect thing because I just want to listen to something light and happy. This type of music is a palate cleanser for me. It lets me get back to my usual stuff that is deeply emotional and heart wrenching for me.

More Music (Emerson, Lake & Palmer)

Hey everybody, if any of you are here because of the KNRK thing then thanks for checking me out. I am working through my music collection right now and I also post other stuff now and then. Usually when I post other stuff it is because I am either upset or super excited about something and I feel like other people should know about it.

Let us get to the music shall we. On the agenda for today is a band that I enjoy quite a bit when I am in the mood for their particular style of music. They are Emerson, Lake & Palmer and they were one of the great English progressive rock bands of the 70's. They sold over forty million albums and headlined some huge tours. They broke up for the first time in 1978 and resurfaced several times after that for reunion shows and one 40th anniversary concert. I am ashamed to admit that the only album I have of theirs is a best of that was put out by Rhino Records. I am hoping to pick up some more of their stuff in the future. How about we get to the music.

"Still...You Turn Me On" This song is really a classic prog rock song.




"C'est la vie" The video I found for this is horrible. But I just love this song.



"Lucky Man" I like this song. No regrets. I do not care what anyone else thinks and I will always sing along with it. Always.



Normally I avoid Christmas songs but I like this one. "I Believe in Father Christmas" It isn't technically an ELP because Greg Lake released it as a solo project. I do not care here it is.



There you go folks. I hope to see you back here tomorrow for the next artist in my collection.

More Music (Elton John)

Hey everybody, I know that it has been awhile since I last posted on my music collection and I must apologize to you all for that. I am hoping that I can use the week of thanksgiving and the holiday season to get back into the swing of things. I am working again and living with my parents and both of those things are bringing me some real calm and stability and I am feeling more like I am living on a normal schedule again. So here we go. I left off with Electric Light Orchestra and up next on my list is another artist who was a little extravagant and a lot talented and that artist is Elton John. I only have a two album greatest his collecting of Sir Elton but I really do enjoy it. His career as spanned four decades and he has sold more then 250 million records. So lets get it started shall we.

"Levon" is a great song. I just love it so much and it never fails to make me sing along.



This song is a little overwrought but I tend to like things that are overwrought. No regrets for me. "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me"



I wasn't going to post this one but I really love this song. "Rocket Man"



"I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" another classic number.



I simply have to close this out with a song that was used to great effect in the film Almost Famous that song is called "Tiny Dancer"

10 Years Goes By Fast

I am sorry that I haven't posted much lately. I have started working again and I am having a hard time jumping back into the music library but I am hoping to get there next week. I decided I would write something tonight. Because tomorrow is the, if I am doing my math right, tenth anniversary of my wedding or would be if I was still married. Instead it is almost the 3rd anniversary of my divorce. It is interesting to me because up until about a week ago I had not really even thought of it. But a friend of mine got married last Friday and that brought back some memories. Most of them good. But I am hoping I can stave off the emotional meltdown by throwing some songs up and getting some of this out of me.

I am not sure what that means but I hope the music can let me just not dwell on what might have been or what was and instead focus on the present.



I am just going to be throwing up some songs that mean something to me.



This song hurts so much. But it is a good kind of hurt.



Sometimes I do wish nothing but the best. Sometimes I do not. Sometimes I just want to wallow in it and be resigned to being alone.



I hate to get into the psychology of the fact that I am identifying with the songs being sung by women. But maybe it is just the overarching themes of the songs.



I've posted this one before but I love it so much.



Sometimes I wish I could be the Rake. But I know that will never happen. I am too soft. But some people tell me that is a good thing.



I suppose I will finish with what I usually do when the depression strikes.

Rumor Control

I realize that I have been lax lately. But I have been without internet at home. I will be remedying that on Saturday so Monday there should be a new music blog post for everybody.

More Music (Electric Light Orchestra)

I am not ashamed. I love Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). There is something about them that I just really, really, like. I find their songs singable and danceable and just great to listen to. I know that their type of prog-rock is not for everyone but I am going to throw up a couple of the big hits and maybe some obscure pieces that I really enjoy. I also love Jeff Lynne's hair.He had an epic fro for the era.

How can you not like that awesome fro? Lets get to the music shall we.

"Mr.Blue Sky" is awesome.



"Telephone Line" Another classic



"Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" I love it



"21st Century Man" I do not know what it is about this song but I really like it.




This version of "In The Hall of The Mountain King" just makes me smile.

More Music (The Eagles)

So we finished the D's and now we are moving into the E's and our first group is the Eagles. Now this is how I usually feel about the Eagles

But I have one album of theirs and it is a two disc live one called Eagles Live
. I believe I purchased it because I like the song "Seven Bridges Road" on it. But other then that they Do not do much for me as a band. But I will throw up some videos for you my faithful readers.

"Wasted Time" this is actually a more poignant song then I realized it was. But I may be just personalizing it as I tend to do with everything.



"Life in the Fast Lane" This one always reminds me of Miami Vice




"Seven Bridges Road" just a good, good song.

More Music (Dropkick Murphys)

Here we are the last group in the D category and it is Dropkick Murphys who I enjoy now and then. But I really have to be in mood for their kind of Irish tinged punk rock. I am not often in the mood for punk rock so I do not listen to them very often. I only own one album and it is The Gang's All Here. There are some fun songs on the album but I also feel that their are better Irish sounding and better punk bands out there. I know they have a large and loyal following but my usual response to punk rock bands out of the Boston area is a resounding "meh". I just do not really care. I also do not really care for Boston as a city or for the people from the area. "West Coast 4-Eva" What, What"


Here you are their version of "Amazing Grace". I am not posting anything else by this shite band.

More Music (The Doors)

Another Monday and another installment of my music library. We are almost finished with the D's and today we are checking out The Doors. I like The Doors. I do not listen to them all of the time and that is mainly because in high school I wore out several tapes listening to them. But every now and then when I pull them back out I am reminded of why I enjoyed them so much. One thing that I really enjoyed about them was that they did not have a bass guitarist they used bass keyboards and I always thought that was pretty cool. If I am correct and I am not going to check so you can just deal with it. Their first album came out in 1967 and their last was in 1971. I am not counting any of the albums released after Jim Morrison died. Why would I? Without him the band wasn't the same. I am hoping I can show you some songs that were not on the radio much because those same songs are still being played on classic radio even now and that is just sad.

"The Alabama Song" is one of my real favorites.



"People Are Strange" is another song that I just really like. It did get some radio play.



"Spanish Caravan" is just a great, great song.



"Five To One" something about this one I just really like as well.



This one is off of their last album "L'America". I love it's strangeness.



See you tomorrow with the last group in the letter D in my collection. I wonder who it will be?

More Music (Dixie Chicks)

Well. This is a significant change from yesterdays post. This is an album from 2002 Dixie Chicks and the album is called Home. I really do like all of the song's on this album. It is the only Dixie Chicks album that I own and I am not even sure what moved me to purchase it. I believe that it may be their cover of the Fleetwood Mac song "Landslide". But I am not totally sure either way lets get to toe tappin shall we.

Here is a live version of "Long Time Gone" on I believe German television. I also like that in this song they pretty much take a swing at modern country radio and I am always in favor of that.



A live version of "Landslide" oooh again in Germany. Nice.




"Travelin' Soldier" this is a sad song but I really enjoy it. I know it is not that big of a surprise that I would like a sad song.



Lets wrap this up with a little "White Trash Wedding"



Say what you want about the Dixie Chicks and their politics or even about country music. But the reality is that they can flat play live. That is why I posted all live clips. There are lots of modern pop artists who are totally studio manufactured and just can't play live so in a lot of ways this is just refreshing to see and hear.

I am just enjoying this too much. I am going to post two more songs that are not on the album that I own but I really like them.

"Not Ready To Make Nice". This is an actual music video but it is a pretty cool video actually.




"Lubbock or Leave It"

More Music (DIO)

Ronnie James Dio or DIO was one of the the original American heavy metal acts. When I am in the mood for some big time head banging Dio is one of my staples. So put on your acid washed jeans and your leather jacket and lets get to rockin. These songs are all from the greatest hits album. The Very Beast of Dio that is not a typo that is heavy metal trying to be clever.

"Holy Diver"



I could say so much about that last video but my words would not be enough. Wow!! I just wow.

"Rainbow in the Dark"





Live version of "Man on the Silver mountain"



KEEP ON ROCKIN FOLKS!!

More Music (Depeche Mode)

Sadly I only have one album from this band 1987's Music for the Masses. I think I used to have another but I seem to have misplaced it. Which actually vexes me a little bit. But me being vexed is a story for another day. It has been a long time since I last listened to this album but I still really enjoy it. I saw Depeche Mode in concert in Portland either for this albums tour or the next one and I remember really enjoying it. I also remember being underage and drinking beers in the parking lot of the Memorial Colosseum and lying to a policemen about my age. It was a great night. So lets listen to some music from the album shall we.

"Little 15"



"I Want You Now" A live version of this song.



okay that last one made me think of someone that I can't have. I am a little bit surprised by that. Let's keep it together Lance.

"Strangelove"



Another live one "Pleasure, little treasure"

More Music (The Decemberists)

I have already written lots and lots about this band in previous posts. I usually listen to them at least once a day. It isn't always the whole album but I listen to a song or two. I really feel like there is not a song that I don't like of theirs. They are all amazing in one way or the other. So I am just going to put up a few of my favorite songs.

"Leslie Anne Levine" 2002 Castaways and Cutouts




"The Soldiering Life" 2003 Her Majesty






"16 Military Wives" 2005 Picaresque I love this song but I love the video as well. For two reasons 1. It reminds me of Rushmore. 2. I did MUN in college.



"The Infanta" 2005 Picaresque I just love the drums in this song.



"Yankee Bayonet" 2006 The Crane Wife



"Sons and Daughters" 2006 The Crane Wife Something about this song just works for me. I love it so much.



"The Rake's Song" 2009 The Hazards Of Love I love this whole album but I really really like "The Rake's Song" this is a live version.



"The Rox In The Box" 2011 The King Is Dead



There you go folks. I just love this band.

More Music (David Bowie)

This is a good Monday. My favorite solo artist is David Bowie. It started for me when my friend was going away to college and he gave me some of his albums. They were Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, The Doors Strange Days and I do not remember the others but really the only one that mattered was David Bowies.

I think Ziggy Stardust is probably the best creation of David Bowie and one of the best concept albums that has ever been. I really like Bowies entire discography so I am pretty psyched that I can bring you some of his music today. These are going to be in no particular order. They will just be songs of his that I like.

"Changes"



This is one of my favorite songs. "Life On Mars?"



"Five Years" from Ziggy Stardust



"The Man Who Sold The World" and doesn't David look lovely in that dress on the album cover.



"Waiting For The Man" I love Mick Ronson on guitar in this one.



"Modern Love" I know there are Bowie fans who do not like this song. But for some reason I really enjoy it. I enjoy it much more then "Lets Dance" another song from the same era.



I could go on and on but lets finish it with that one.

More Music (Dark Moor)

I know that today's music is not going to be for everyone. It is the band Dark Moor and they are from Spain. I am pretty sure that they are the only Spanish band that I have in my collection and I have just about 8 hours of their music in my collection seven studio albums and one live album.

I like to think of their music as epic metal. It is melodic and operatic but still has some wailing guitars and lots of awesome drums and rockin vocals. I know for a fact that I have a few friends who really love this kind of music. I am not totally sure why I do since I tend to be a snob about things. But, for some reason I just really love the over the top nature of it. So here we go

Here is there version of a little bit of Mozart.



Here is their 8 minute version of Swan Lake. It is hard to not get pumped up listening to it.



"The Bells of Notre Dame"



And finally "Maid of Orleans"

More Music (Dancehall Crashers)

Yay for ska!! Now this band Dance Hall Crashers is not your typical ska band. I would say that they were part of the third wave of ska that was almost more punk then ska and in fact this album, Lockjaw does not have any horns and that is not typically ska. But, the drums and the arrangements are very much of a ska type. As we get further into my collection we will get to some real 1st wave and 2nd wave ska and you will really hear a difference. I tend to enjoy all the waves of ska actually.

So lets get to the music shall we.

Anyone who has seen the film Angus is going to remember this song "Enough"



I really enjoy this song "Go"



"Good For Nothin"




There you go. This kind of music never fails to bring a smile to my face and tap to my toe.

More Music (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)

Well not much that I need to say about this band. These are two of my favorite albums and I could really listen to them over and over again and I have. So if you haven't heard or listened to Crosby, Still, Nash and Young do yourself a favor and pick up these two albums. Deja Vu and So Far, are I think two of the best acoustic albums of all time. You may disagree with their politics but you can't say that their music was not good. So I am going to throw up some videos and let you guys just enjoy it.

"Carry On"



"Almost Cut My Hair" This one is really more for me. I am really leaning toward getting it cut. I know several people who it would make happy.



"4 + 20" just a great song



Here are three from the next album So Far.

"Wooden Ships"...not much can be said about this song. It is just so good.



"Teach Your Children" This is one of my favorite songs.



"Ohio" This is a more political song it is about the Kent State shootings. Go ahead and google it if you want. I am not going to be trying to unpack that mess today.



Let's finish up this nice musical trip with some "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes"



I would be remiss if I didn't also post "Southern Cross" I just can't help myself even if it isn't on the two albums that I own it is an amazing song.

More Music (Coheed & Cambria)

Who is in the mood for a little "progressive rock" or prog rock as it is popularly known. Now I am not going to give you a definition of prog rock you can google it. But here are some band that are known for basically starting prog rock in the 70's. Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. I coincidentally enough have albums from all of these bands. I know that is not a real shock to most of you.

Coheed & Cambria have been described as new prog. I like to describe them as "post-neo-orthodoxy prog rock" but that is mainly because I like to give things extra long names because it amuses me. I have two of the bands five studio albums. Their first album The Second Stage Turbine Blade which came out in 2002 and their fourth album Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness which came out in 2005. I like the fourth album a little bit better then the first one. Lets get to the music shall we. In fact I like the fourth album so much I am not going to be posting anything off of the first one.

There is something about this song "Always And Never" that just blows me away. But I am kind of a sucker for this type of majestic over the top rock music. You will hear more of it as we move further into my collection. My apologies if you hate it.



This is an even better example of the type of music I was just talking about and is actually the song right after the one I just showed you. "Welcome Home"



I think we will call it quits right there. You folks enjoy your headbanging and remember these words and live by them

"Keep on rockin."

More Music (CIV)

Well after a stretch of pretty mellow music we are taking a little trip down punk rock lane with a band called CIV and there album So Far, So Good...So What. I am not even sure when I purchased this album or even where I was at in terms of life that I was listening to this. Because most people know that I am not a big fan of punk rock. There is some of it that I do like to be sure. But really it is not my favorite type of music.

This album was released in 1995 and was the bands first album. The band name came from the last name of the lead singer Anthony Civarelli. They came out of New York City and their most well known song was "Cant Wait One Minute More" which I remember MTV playing a lot of and it being on an episode of Beavis and Butthead as well as in a Nissan commercial in 2005.

So lets start with "Can't Wait One Minute More" and dig a little deeper into the album after that.



As I watched that video and re-listened to the album I am starting to remember why I liked this album. There are some pretty cool songs on it and they remind me a little bit of how Social Distortion sounded during that era. They also remind me of Suicidal Tendencies.

This one is called "Set Your Goals". The song is only 1:50 I am not sure why the video is 3:21. But anyway. 1..2..3..4



This last one is called "Choices Made" and is pretty much the punk message.

More Music (City and Colour)

This album is called Sometimes and was the debut solo album by a Canadian artist named Dallas Green. He decided to call his solo work City and Colour. It is pretty much acoustic solo work and he has some other musicians who tour with him and help him record now and then. I like this album quite a bit. It just is really a nice album to listen to on repeat and let the songs kind of fill you up.

"Hello, I'm In Delaware"




"In the Water I Am Beautiful" What a sad, sad beautiful song. It totally reminds me of the times that I have just been really stupid about things. The older I get the more I am convinced that there are times when I am just really dumb.



"Comin Home" I really enjoy this song a lot. It reminds me of Johnny Cash and his "I've Been Everywhere".

If you have enjoyed this today or any of the artists of this type that I have posted lately. Do yourself a favor and track them down.

Is Rick Perry A Liar?

I am not sure if he is or isn't but as I linked above he certainly seems to be liar, liar pants on fire about this issue. Is this true about all politicians or just Rick Perry? If he is willing to lie about this who knows what else he is willing to lie about?

Is Rick Perry a liar? Or just dumb? Decide for yourself.

More Music (The Chieftains)

The Chieftains are a band that I have been a fan of for a long time. I only have one album partly because their musical catalog is just so extensive. The album I have is The Long Black Veil. I am not sure that there is a weak song on it. They have some older traditional Irish ballads as well as some country songs that have come out of the traditions of the Irish. The most noticeable one for me being "Tennessee Waltz". I am not going to get deep into the band's history but The Chieftains have been around for 40 years and in that time have released some 40 albums counting live ones but appeared on several other albums that are compilations. The Long Black Veil has several guest singers on it some of the biggest artists in the music world, such as Sting, Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones, Sinéad O' Connor, Van Morrison, Tom Jones, Marianne Faithfull, Ry Cooder and Mark Knopfler. It really is an amazing album and one of my favorites of any genre. Lets get to the music shall we.


Now, I am not a huge fan of the Rolling Stones or Mick Jagger but he does an amazing job in this one. This is just an amazing song about love and pain and regret. The title track of the album. "The Long Black Veil"





The next song is one that Sting did the vocals for. Called "Mo Ghile Mear" and big surprise it is another nice song.



This one is the one that Sinead O'Conner sings on. "The Foggy Dew" this is a haunting number and is about the Easter Uprising of 1916. A sad song but it was a sad time to be an Irishmen.



That is it for today. I hope you folks enjoyed your trip to Ireland.

More Music (Cherry Poppin' Daddies)

This is a band that I really used to be into during the swing resurgence of the 90's.
The Cherry Poppin' Daddies have been around for nearly 20 years. Which is pretty amazing when you think about it. They have only put out 8 albums and the biggest of them was the multi platinum Zoot Suit Riot which was released in 1998. They are an Oregon grown band and come from Eugene which I think is pretty cool. A little bit of trivia for you as well. I worked at one time in a movie theater in Eugene called Cinema World and several of the guys who worked there had a funk/swing band. Well one of those guys a fella named Sean Flannery went on to play tenor saxophone with the daddies from 1996 to 2008.

Here is their biggest hit. "Zoot Suit Riot" which actually is a pretty fun song.



I am just not feeling it tonight. So I am not digging deeper into their discography because frankly while I used to really enjoy them. They as a band do not really do it for me any more. But please enjoy the big hit.